Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-02-03-Speech-2-317"
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"en.20090203.20.2-317"2
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"−
Mr President, the Commission broadly shares the views expressed by Mr Vondra.
We now have to deal very seriously with this issue and make legal preparations to respond on a case-by-case basis to the US request. We have to take this very, very seriously, taking into account, of course this desire for positive cooperation in this new fight against terrorism, which will include compliance with the fundamental values which unite us and which have to unite the world community.
Thank you everyone.
Even so, I would like to say that, after this long debate, we are at a major turning point. It is a key turning point in the fight against terrorism. We have to try, henceforth, to take on this fight with a restored moral authority for the entire Western community, fight whilst respecting fundamental values and fundamental rights.
Europe must then lead the entire international community towards a desire to fight terrorism in the spirit of those self-same fundamental values which gave rise to the fight in the first place. It is a key turning point and Parliament’s declaration is, in this regard, extremely useful, as it assumes that all of the Member States have the will to participate in this major change.
It is true, however, that initial responsibility lies with the United States. They have to verify the status of each detainee before they make an official request for transfer to an EU Member State. This really is the essential condition. The United States must send us a clear and reasoned request for each individual case. That is absolutely essential.
In the end, it is, of course, up to each Member State to decide if they are willing to receive an ex-detainee from Guantánamo, but the debate has shown that cooperation at a European level is evidently very, very desirable.
Coordination will be beneficial in determining the legal status of ex-detainees and will also be necessary to protect Member States in the case of diplomatic or other requests from the countries of origin of these detainees. This coordination will be needed to reassure the Member States, in particular, and I am thinking about what Mr Nassauer said, those with worries about public order and security.
A coordinated European approach could finally give us greater leverage in negotiations with the United States over access to documents and transfer processes. We could then possibly add financial assistance to facilitate reception in some Member States.
I would say in Mr Vondra’s presence that we will naturally work closely with the Czech Presidency. With Mr de Kerchove, we are also in the process of writing the study document which will serve as a basis for the discussion to take place at the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 26 February.
I will also say here that we will no doubt use our visit to Washington with Mr Langer, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Interior, to raise all of the issues relating to and consequent upon the closure of Guantánamo with our US colleagues."@en1
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